• Home
  • projects
  • MAGAZINE
  • About
  • Contact
Menu

TRUTH & LIES

  • Home
  • projects
  • MAGAZINE
  • About
  • Contact

Manu Dibango 'Dibango 82 Live in Marseille 1982' (Wewantsounds) - a review

May 3, 2025

Recorded live on December 22, 1982, at the Théâtre La Criée in Marseille, this previously unreleased recording sees the ‘Lion of Cameroon’, Manu Dibango at the height of his considerable powers as he and his brilliant eight-piece band roar through a blistering set that showcases his world-beating blend of Cameroonian makossa, Congolese rumba and jazz-funk-fusion. Beautifully captured (and remastered from the original tapes), this is an amazing find from the always exceptional WEWANTSOUNDS label. Read / Listen.

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Africa, Afrobeat, Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Fusion, funk, Cameroon, Congo
Comment

Web Web ‘Plexus Plexus’ (Compost Records) - a review

April 29, 2025

The ridiculously prolific Munich outfit Web Web return to Compost Records with yet another album but this time around, they’ve enlisted the fuzz guitar heroics of JJ Whitefield, ensuring that their hybrid collage of krautrock and revolutionary era jazz has an even more pronounced psychedelic edge. It absolutely works. Read / Listen.

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Psyche, Psychedelic, Germany, Krautrock, Kraut, Jazz, Fusion
Comment

Artwork by www.beckyhatchett.me

Kʒːlu ‘Vol.II Cortis’ (Creeping Curtain Records) - a review

December 2, 2024

The West Cork based guitarist and composer Pat Hatchett returns under his Kʒːlu (curlew) moniker with a fantastic album of introspection, leftfield soul and cosmic Afro-disco. An amazingly eclectic musician, he was hit with a serious and debilitating ear problem that forced him to think outside of the box to fix himself physically and spiritually. Aiming for connection and optimism in a time of personal and geo-political upheavals, Pat has created a sensational record with stellar musicianship and spiritually positive vibes that is as visually rich as it is sonically electrifying. Read / Listen.

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Africa, Afrobeat, spiritual, funk, broken beat, Disco, soul, Ireland, cosmic, Fusion, global, independent, Jazz-Funk
Comment

Waaju feat. Majid Bekkas 'Alouane’ (BBE) - a review

October 25, 2024

A cross-cultural tour de force from London’s Waaju crew and Moroccan Gnawa master Majid Bekkas on this fantastic live album out now on the mighty BBE! A stunning fusion of Afro-Latin, jazz, psychedelia, Gnawa and heavy heavy grooves recorded in the beautiful Church of Sound in East London, Ben Brown’s new arrangements of traditional Gnawa songs are revelatory, the ensemble’s performance transcendent. Read / Listen.

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, gnawa, Jazz, Fusion, world, London, Morocco, funk
Comment

Singular Visions - a random rundown of recent single releases (October 2024)

October 14, 2024

We don’t really cover single releases (apart from the occasional premiere) so we thought we would start a new section on the blog where we shout about some random new singles we have been sent or discovered ourselves in some dusty corner. All kinds of music that we may not have time to cover as albums or one time one-offs. Enjoy! Tell your friends! This episode includes Nicola Cruz, Voodoo Drummer, Romperayo, Cyril Cyril, Chizawa Q & more...

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Latin America, classical, Colombia, techno, Japan, Electronic Music, Ecuador, post-punk, Switzerland, Bolero, Fusion, world, New Orleans, Instrumental, orchestral, free jazz, Experimental
Comment

Phil Dawson ٤-tet with Dele Sosimi and Biola Dosunmu - Ilé (Iyesa) feat. Rowland Sutherland (Funkiwala) - PREMIERE!

September 27, 2024

We are delighted to premiere the first single from Phil Dawson ٤-tet’s forthcoming ‘Don’t Waste Your Ancestors’ Time’ album on Funkiwala. ‘Ilé (Iyesa)’ is an absorbing, funky and spiritually charged number that stands up tall next to Airto’s Afro-Brazilian experiments in the 70s and features an outrageous lineup of world class musicians from Nigeria, Brazil and the UK jazz scene. Read / Listen.

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Afrobeat, Nigeria, Brazil, cosmic, Jazz, Fusion, independent, Premiere
Comment

Conjunto Papa Upa 'Fruta Madura' (Music With Soul) - a review

July 25, 2024

Our favourite Venezuelan polymath Alex Figueira is back with another full length album of burning hot ‘tropical’ psychedelic dancers. For once, he doesn’t do everything himself, inviting the members of the live incarnation of his Conjunto Papa Upa band to bring their instrumental magic to his ever-improving songwriting and vocal chops. With over two dozen genres mashed into this Latin music charged feast, ‘Fruta Madura’, has fire, wit and groove in its belly. Read / Listen.

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Latin America, Venezuela, tropical, Fusion, funk, Psyche, Psychedelic, Cumbia, salsa
Comment

Move 78 'Grains' (Village Live Records) - a review

October 20, 2023

Move 78’s third studio album is another fine example of their unique way of creating music. Take a core of skilled jazz musicians from Berlin, let them jam and improvise around riffs and motifs whilst sampling and processing live back into the mix. Then record the results, remix, add featured instrumentalists, remix again and what do we have? A surprisingly organic sounding record that merges groove-heavy jazz moods, hypnotic atmospherics and psychedelic hues. Read / Listen.

Read More
Tags LATEST, Germany, Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Experimental, Electronic Music, leftfield, Fusion
Comment

Nick Walters 'Marine Moods' (D.O.T. Records) - a review

October 3, 2023

Ace UK trumpeter, composer and bandleader Nick Walters reassembles his brilliant sextet (including longtime collaborator Tenderlonious) for his aquatically themed new album 'Marine Moods' which is released on Friday 6th October on his own D.O.T. Records label. Recorded in a single day, the record is a spellbinding combination of modal, spiritual and fusion flavours that gleams with positivity and is supercharged with exquisite musicianship. Read / Listen.

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Jazz-Funk, Modal Jazz, Fusion, Reviews
Comment

Torben Westergaard 'The Gori Project II' (Torben Westergaard Musik) - a review

September 29, 2023

With 18 albums under his belt and over 40 years of musical connectivity at the heart of his practice, the Danish composer and educator Torben Westergaard is a musician striving to work in an egoless environment. On his fantastic new album 'The Gori Project II', his second immersion into the merging of influences between Nordic jazz and Korean folk music has come good, creating something that belongs entirely to the four musicians involved. Cinematic, theatrical and blissed out at times, the album really does take you away. Read / Listen.

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Denmark, Instrumental, improvisational, Korea, Jazz, Fusion
Comment

Error Subcutáneo 'Temporada Ciclónica' (Running Circle) - a review

June 21, 2023

The new 7 track E.P. that Dominican Republic duo Error Subcutáneo have released today on Summer Solstice is a provocative and wild ride of free jazz, soundscape interventions and modular experimentalism fueled by the chaos of life in the Caribbean and the wider uncertainties of our world right now. Band member Mauro Ferreiro is a frequent contributor to our magazine and this record is released on Nottingham imprint Running Circle so somehow, a kind of harmony has arrived from the chaos. A lot like the music. Read / Listen

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Dominican Republic, Experimental, Fusion, free jazz, Electronic Music, Caribbean, free, independent, improvisational
Comment

The Jazz Room Vol. 2 compiled by Paul Murphy (BBE) - a review

April 27, 2023

Legendary DJ and record man (and our guest at this year’s Houghton Festival!) Paul Murphy has curated a second volume of global jazz hybrids that share a keen focus for the dancefloor! With tracks from Japan to Mali, France to Venezuela, The Jazz Room Volume 2 is an exceptional ride! Read / Listen

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Jazz-Funk, Acid Jazz, Jazz, Japan, Modal Jazz, Mali, Fusion
Comment

Artwork by Lewis Heriz

Insólito UniVerso 'Ese Puerto Existe' (Olindo Records) - a review

February 8, 2023

For their second album for Olindo Records, the Venezuelan trio Insólito UniVerso have gone deep into their country’s musical heritage, exploring rhythms and musical strains whilst adding their own psychedelic, experimental vision. With guests including Stereolab’s Lætitia Sadier, the trio have produced a brilliantly written and produced record that is our favourite album of the year so far and one likely to stay in our boxes for a long time. Read / Listen

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Latin America, Venezuela, folkloric, Experimental, Fusion, global, independent
Comment

Nick Walters 'Udaipur' (D.O.T. Records) - single premiere!

January 30, 2023

We are mightily pleased to premiere ‘Udaipur’ from Nick Walters’ forthcoming album ‘Padm​ā​sana’! Built up from field recordings of a trip to India and transformed into a funky modal composition with stellar contributions from collaborators 22a’s Tenderlonious and Kieron McLeod. Read // Listen

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Jazz-Funk, Acid Jazz, Fusion, india, independent, Instrumental
Comment

Silvan Strauss 'Facing' (Kabul Fire) - a review

November 22, 2022

Hamburg-based drummer and composer Silvan Strauss has created a debut album of ten short but dazzling micro-instrumentals. With fifteen collaborators in total, his creations veer between Madlib style jazz cut-ups to filmic beatscapes that showcase his brilliant drumming chops, never taking the focus away from the audience. “I wanted to make it so that people love to listen to it. It’s a little wonky, sure a few imperfections but fuck it, it’s fun and alive!”. Read / Listen

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Beats, Hip Hop, independent, Instrumental, cinematic, Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Fusion, Hamburg, Drums
Comment

Hamish Balfour 'Running Colours' (Shapes Of Rhythm) - title track premiere!

October 31, 2022

We are super pleased to showcase the title track from Hamish Balfour’s forthcoming album for Shapes of Rhythm! Exquisitely played brukish jazz fusion and a stunning vocal from Hospital Records’ Elsa Esmeralda makes this something special. Read / Listen

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, London, Jazz-Funk, Jazz, Fusion, broken beat
Comment

Edrix Puzzle 'Deep in Dionne' (On The Corner Records) - Single Premiere!

October 11, 2022

We present the PREMIERE of Edrix Puzzle’s second single from their forthcoming collision of cosmic jazz and heavyweight dub-funk - ''Coming Of The Moon Dogs” - released on On The Corner Records, the single is a militant yet loose drum and free violin number, a march to the cosmos through burning stars. Read / Listen

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Experimental, Brit-Funk, cosmic, Dub, Drums, Fusion, funk, free jazz
Comment

Guinu 'Palagô' (Razor-N-Tape) - a review

September 2, 2022

Known mainly for their underground housey/disco dancefloor projects, this could be a surprising album release from New York’s Razor-N-Tape label. Though maybe it’s not. Brazilian musician, songwriter and producer Pedro Guinu has delivered his own respectful exploration of Rio de Janeiro’s musical heritage with great original songwriting that takes inspiration from 50 years of Rio’s musical treasures. Touching on MPB, AOR, Brazilian Boogie, Samba, Bossa and more contemporary genres, it’s complimented with a rock solid dancefloor-ready bottom end that makes this much more than a tribute. Read /Listen / Buy

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Brazil, samba, funk, Fusion, Jazz-Funk, independent, New York
Comment

“Pierre Barouh and the Saravah Sound” (WEWANTSOUNDS) - a review

July 14, 2022

Saravah was one of the most influential French labels of the 60s and 70s, and Pierre Barouh, singer, composer and producer extraordinaire, was a master at harnessing disparate talents, creating one of the best musical catalogues anywhere. Out there jazz and French underground pop collide with Brazilian and African flavours that sound as exciting now as when they were created. In partnership with Barouh’s son, Benjamin, WEWANTSOUNDS have given us the first ever retrospective of the revolutionary Saravah sound on vinyl and it is immaculate. Read / Listen

Read More
In MUSIC Tags LATEST, Saravah, Africa, French, Jazz, free jazz, Brazil, Experimental, Fusion, global, independent, Psychedelic, Reviews
Comment

Hidden Waters: Strange & Sublime Sounds of Rio de Janeiro (Sounds and Colours) - an interview

June 20, 2022

Our good friend and editor of the ace Latin culture magazine Sounds and Colours, Russ Slater, has teamed up with Joe Osborne to bring us Brazilian music nerds a comprehensive look at the wonkier end of the contemporary music scene in Rio de Janeiro and it is a sprawling feast of sounds that only Brazil can offer. We asked co-curator Joe Osborne for some of his thoughts on the curatorial process and here they are! Read / Listen

Read More
In MUSIC, INTERVIEWS Tags LATEST, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, samba, Electronic Music, Experimental, folkloric, funk, Fusion
Comment
Older Posts →
  • ART
  • EVENTS
  • INTERVIEWS
  • MUSIC

@truthandliesmus